An equity score of 39/100 ranks Standish-Sterling Community Schools #525 of 702 districts in Michigan (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $13,371 per pupil, Standish-Sterling Community Schools ranks #528 of 812 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending (Michigan districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
1,505
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$13,371
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Standish-Sterling Community Schools operates 3 public schools serving 1,505 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Michigan. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 combined schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Arenac County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,371 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 812 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending. See how Michigan compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 25.1% local, 59.1% state, and 15.8% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 39/100, ranked #525 of 702 in Michigan against a state average of 50, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.
Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 3 schools offering Advanced Placement (6 AP courses district-wide), a 492:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 45.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 93.7% White, 2.5% Hispanic or Latino, 0.7% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Sterling Elementary School, with a diversity index of 16.7/100.
Standishsterling Central Jrsr High School accounts for 43.9% of all Standish-Sterling Community Schools student enrollment
That dominant concentration means Standish-Sterling Community Schools-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: combined. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Enrollment-weighted aggregates give this entity more weight than any smaller peer, while an unweighted entity average treats every record equally.
Standish-Sterling Community Schools school enrollment varies 3.9× across entities
Standish-Sterling Community Schools school enrollment ranges from 168 students (lowest) to 660 students (highest), a spread of 492 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
Standish-Sterling Community Schools reports 52.9% free-lunch eligibility
The reported share clears the 50% majority mark. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.
Standish-Sterling Community Schools student-counselor ratio is 492:1 — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)
student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.
Standish-Sterling Community Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 45.5% — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)
chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.
Comparisons are relative to Standish-Sterling Community Schools's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.
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How many schools are in Standish-Sterling Community Schools?
Standish-Sterling Community Schools has 3 schools, including 3 combined. Total enrollment is 1,505 students.
How much does Standish-Sterling Community Schools spend per student?
Standish-Sterling Community Schools spends $13,371 per student. The district has an equity score of 39/100, ranking #525 in Michigan.
What is the demographic composition of Standish-Sterling Community Schools?
Standish-Sterling Community Schools students are 93.7% White, 2.5% Hispanic or Latino, 0.7% African American, 0.2% Asian, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Standish-Sterling Community Schools?
Standish-Sterling Community Schools has an equity score of 39/100, ranking #525 out of 702 districts in Michigan.